


A Little On the Short Side

by knockout_mouse



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Cute Ending, Episode: s06e14 One Little Ship, Fluff, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Idiots in Love, Light-Hearted, M/M, POV Elim Garak, Tailoring, Teasing, pretty much zero angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24906751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knockout_mouse/pseuds/knockout_mouse
Summary: After the events of "One Little Ship", Julian and Miles go to Garak's instead of the infirmary to check if they've actually shrank, as Odo and Quark insist they have.Really just a cute little thing I wrote up after watching the episode. You don't necessarily have to watch the episode to understand, but you should anyway because it's fun!
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 17
Kudos: 94





	A Little On the Short Side

“Garak!”

Garak blinked and looked up, startled out of mid-afternoon malaise just in time to see his dear doctor and the Chief stride in, twin looks of concentrated terror on their faces. Garak immediately set down his work, coming to stand on the other side of his counter.

“My dear, what is the matter?” Garak asked, unsure if he should feign concern or if there was an actual emergency. Judging by the lack of a red alert or screaming people out on the Promenade, there probably wasn’t an immediate threat to his life. Then again, he had been taking a bit of risk that week recommending Julian a decidedly pro-Cardassian book mocking the follies of the Federation.

“I’m afraid we’ve got a serious problem.” Julian stopped abruptly in front of him.

“If it’s about  _ Cardassi Eternia _ , I’m afraid you’ll have to shelve the debate till our next luncheon.”

“The what?” O’Brien squinted.

Julian waved him away, “No, it’s not that.” he pointed a finger at Garak, “Although we will be having a talk about that too.”

“I look forward to our discussion as always.” Garak smiled, “Now what can I do for you gentlemen?”

“We need to know if we’ve gotten any shorter.” O’Brien said.

Garak’s brow rose, “Shorter?”

“It’s about the mission I was on this morning.” Julian said, “We were studying a subspace compression anomaly and the only way to do that was to use the Defiant’s tractor beam to shrink a runabout down to about the size of a tea mug.” he spaced his hands accordingly, looking completely serious about his explanation.

“You… got shrunk?”

“Yes.”

“Was it… voluntary?”

Julian rolled his eyes, “Yes, we were  _ supposed _ to shrink, that was the planned part! What we didn’t plan is that we’d be stuck at that size for longer than we expected. Far longer, in fact. And then the Dominion came and we nearly got vaporized and then the  _ whole crew _ nearly got vaporized…”

“Julian.” O’Brien glanced at him, “Cut to the chase.”

“Right,” Julian spoke slower, “Anyway we’re all fine now, except we’re not fine because we were just at Quark’s and he and Odo said that we looked a few centimeters shorter than we were before.”

“You’re believing Quark?” Garak asked, his eye ridges raising higher.

“Well, not really, but Odo said the same thing.”

“Yeah, he said Changelings notice that kind of stuff!” O’Brien added.

Garak hummed, trying his best to avoid a smile. It was one thing for Quark to pull a joke on them; the man would say anything if it could put more latinum in his pockets. But the Constable? He shrugged, “Well, I suppose you’ll want me to measure you and compare those to your previous fitting.”

Relief washed over Julian’s face, and the two men followed Garak back towards the changing rooms. He snatched up a fabric measuring tape and waited for the men to take off their shoes. Garak took a second look at Julian and chuckled inwardly. He could probably tell simply by standing next to him whether or not Julian had shrunk: he had, after all, spent the last six years having to look slightly upward into Julian’s eyes whenever they stood next to each other. But this was more fun.

“Okay, ready.” O’Brien said stiffly, standing at attention in the center of the dressing room. Garak sighed and rolled out the tape dramatically, letting it flutter to the floor.

“Place your toe on the metal end of the tape, please.” he instructed. He then did a perfunctory measure of the Chief’s height, confirming what he’d already guessed: both Quark and the Constable had been playing some sort of joke. O’Brien’s height was exactly the same as it had been a few months ago at his last fitting.

“You’ve nothing to worry about, Chief, you are the same lovable size as always.” Garak smiled, snapping the tape back into his hands like a whip. O’Brien startled, causing Julian to laugh. Which, of course, was the exact result Garak had been hoping for.

O’Brien grumbled something but nodded his thanks, and then stepped out of the room. Garak then turned his full attention to Julian, repeating the step with him. His height was also exactly the same as his last fitting. Garak hummed, slowly rolling the tape up.

“What, what is it?” Julian craned to look over his shoulder.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Nothing out of the ordinary, you’ll be fine.”

Julian’s eyes widened, “What? No, Garak, tell me. I’m shorter, aren’t I?”

Garak toyed with the tape in his hands, “Well, you are technically 1.57 cm shorter than your last visit – but that happens with men as they age.” he gave a pat on Julian’s shoulder.

“Age?” Julian gaped, “I’m not  _ aging _ ! Well, not like that. Do it again! Measure everything!”

“Everything?” Garak cracked a smile.

“Everything.” Julian said resolutely. He stood a little straighter, staring determinedly at the opposite wall. He looked adorable like this. 

“One full fitting coming right up,  _ monsieur _ .” 

Julian had little time to react as Garak unfurled the measuring tape again and stepped up close to measure his neck. Garak had only done a fitting for Julian twice in the past six years, but he’d securely stored both times in the back of his mind, occasionally recalling the memory of standing a hair’s breadth away, fingers held up against the doctor’s Adam’s apple. On the few Cardassians he’d fitted, he always showed them how to measure and then let them measure their own neck; to put one’s hands on another Cardassian’s neck wasn’t just intimate, it was a tremendous show of trust. 

Julian gulped, Adam’s apple bobbing against Garak’s fingers, and Garak hid a smile, quickly moving on to Julian’s chest and shoulders. Another area he had to be delicate about with Cardassian clients, but didn’t bother Humans nearly as much. Julian had once asked what the ideal body type was for a Cardassian male, and Garak had given him a litany of bizarre and completely rubbish standards. He might have also mentioned that being stocky and having a round face were the peak of beauty, to which Julian had given him a skeptical smile. In truth, broad shoulders were often a desired aspect simulated in military armor or with shoulder pads, but Garak had to admit he much preferred men who did not hide their body under such additions. The day he found Julian trying on some ridiculous padded undergarment, he’d sternly lectured such behavior, and his doctor went back to being the skinny beanpole that he was. As things should be!

Now the right arm, and the left, both recorded in efficient fashion, followed by the bicep. Julian always derived some kind of pleasure from flexing whenever Garak did this, and each time Garak simply gave him a chastising glare, “My dear, it will not help me at all to measure your bicep that way. Unless you plan on walking around with your arms flexed at all times, I suggest you relax.”

Julian pouted, then held him hands out expectantly. Garak was especially careful here, looping the tape around each wrist while never letting their palms touch. It would not make any difference to Julian, but Garak knew what pressing hands together meant. He had enough nice memories stored up for later; he didn’t need something bordering on romantic to add to them. 

Garak bit back a frown as he went down to Julian’s waist and hip measurements: they were slightly smaller than usual, which meant the doctor was probably worried about something and had been spending too much time fretting over research and not enough time remembering to eat. He’d have to change that; perhaps call on Julian to share some more lunches throughout the week. It wouldn’t do to have that slim waist get any smaller.

Finally, the legs. Julian’s legs were a concerning length, comprising over half his body, and could be frequently seen pinwheeling him around the station as he rushed from the infirmary to ops and back again. Garak tapped a leg and Julian obediently spread them a little, enough for Garak to get his inseam. 

“Garak.” Julian said. It wasn’t a question. Garak peered up, intrigued.

Julian wore an unreadable smile, “How is it all my measurements so far have been the same as before? And just now, you’ve finished with my legs and they’re the same length too? Basic maths would infer I have not actually changed size.”

Garak batted his eyes innocently, “Perhaps an error on my part, dear. A thousand apologies.”

Julian’s smile widened, a hand settling on Garak’s shoulder. Garak gulped.

“Apologies accepted. Of course, you’ll still need to measure my thighs.”

Garak nodded, moving the tape to circle the last area of the fitting. As he did, Julian’s other hand grabbed onto his, pinning his hand dangerously close to Julian’s crotch.

“My dear?” 

Julian’s grinned turned wicked, and he leaned over, tantalizingly close to Garak’s ear, “Now how is it you got Miles’ measurements right but not mine? I imagine that was a coincidence?”

Garak shivered, “A coincidence that has led to a pleasant diversion, I must confess. However, it was terrible of Odo and Quark to play such a mean prank on you.”

“Not so terrible that it didn’t lead me here.” Julian’s fingers slid along Garak’s shoulder, dancing across his flushed scales. There were several Obsidian Order training techniques Garak was employing at that moment, simultaneously scanning every inch of Julian’s face for intent, as well as willing his body to  _ remain calm _ .

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, Julian’s grin turned soft again and he placed a kiss on Garak’s nose, turning nimbly out of Garak’s grasp and bouncing away, “Well, thank you for clearing all that up, my dear Garak! Same lunch time as always, then?”

“Uh… buh.” Garak nodded mutely, cursing his old instructors for not training him in the ability to remain alert despite being kissed by a handsome man. Really, a gaping flaw in Obsidian Order teaching!

Julian giggled, apparently having noticed Garaks’ brain careening off the tracks, but he politely refrained from commenting on it, simply giving him a wink before skipping out of the dressing room. 

“What took so long?” said O’Brien’s voice from the entrance of the shop.

“Oh nothing, just making sure Garak knew the measure of things.” Julian replied cheekily. 

Still kneeling inside the dressing room, Garak’s puzzled look softened into a warm smile. He was definitely going to have to get Julian back for that at some point. Until then, he had a wealth of new material to file under ‘up close and personal moments with Julian Bashir’. 

And really, he wouldn’t have his doctor any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope this brightened your day a (little) bit! ;) <3


End file.
